Their Secret
by angel white
Summary: He shook his head. "I've never had to go that far before. Usually hunnies are begging for kisses; faint if it's even a blown one. But you and that Mizuho girl? I don't know what it is, man.." [Oneshot]


**Their Secret**

* * *

**_Crazy, how it, feels tonight.  
Crazy, how you, make it all alright love.  
You crush me, with the, things you do,  
I do, for you, anything too... oh_**

* * *

_Even Grand Cardinals need a way to unwind at the end of the day._

Only during the night would Pronyma steal away down to the hot springs, though these trips were far and few between. She regretted that she couldn't do this most every night.

She had her rules and regulations to follow and deal with, after all.

The hot, bubbling water soothed her aching limbs, considering how she was usually standing, or hovering, most of the time. It certainly wasn't good for her back, at any rate.

Showers were nice, and useful at the beginning of the day, when she rose from brief sleep; Pronyma was no angel, after all, merely the leader of the Desian Grand Cardinals. Sleep was necessary, even if she did little of it.

She was usually busy. With some time to idle, yes; though usually it was overseeing what her fellow Grand Cardinals were up to, as well as obeying Lord Yggdrasill's direct orders.

She had her own minions to take care of the menial tasks; to give her hourly reports on the progress in the Human Ranches, to inform her of potentially critical mistakes made by her partners; and of course, of any infiltration attempts made by those worthless Renegades.

Lord Yggdrasill didn't like to be bothered with insignificant details, after all; it was up to her to make the final decision on what news reached his ears..

It was sad, really, how her only use to him was to deliver news. She alone was his most faithful servant, and had never wavered, or had intention of wavering.. he had, at least, let her know that he trusted her even above his Seraphim. While she on occasion had to defer to Lord Kratos or Lord Yuan, it was only because they weren't aware of the shift in the balance of power.

Perhaps someday she herself would be able to evolve into an angel; to be one of the perfect lifeless beings. Perhaps then, he would look at her, on the level of an equal.

…_Heh. Not bloody likely._

Yet she would continue to damn herself by these foolish thoughts. It was part of what kept her going from day to day. The safety of routine.

She hadn't been living all that long, either. He had chosen her to succeed the previous leader of the Grand Cardinals after her predecessor died, and Kvar was robbed of the title. He never did get over that snubbing; she had a feeling that the decision-making was a thing of Lord Kratos' doing, considering his history.

Kvar was better suited to running the human ranches. If the man could slaughter the entire human side of his family in order to make exspheres.. yes, a man like that certainly had no place among the elite Seraphim.

She was content with her position.

Her days had ended rather stressfully as of late, particularly after feeling some unease about the disorder that the group accompanying the new Chosen of Regeneration were making, and not being able to do much about it. It was rather disturbing to her that Lord Kratos was the one to personally remove the other Desian leaders; at this rate, it would be only her and Forcystus left.

Lord Yggdrasill hadn't exactly given her a list on who was to succeed them, either. Then again, once Martel was restored to her body, it would matter not what happened to the entire world, as long as they were safe on Derris-Kharlan. After which, she would become an angel and not have to worry so much about stress, or tension.. or those _urges_ that she would get while thinking of him..

Oh, she loved Lord Yggdrasill, of course. There never was any doubt there.

That Chosen, though, was the one that made her feel _alive_... relaxed, rejuvenated. Never mind the fact that he was an inferior human; if anyone found out about this, particularly her beloved Lord; she might as well be stripped of her title!

Not to mention her life.

It was only afterwards that he made the deal with Lord Yggdrasill. His life, to be exchanged with the one of his sister--after, of course, he delivered Colette to them to become Martel's vessel.

He was full of himself, certainly, with a tendency to be obnoxious.. yet there was that something special; that ability to make women fall for him; she hadn't fallen, no, but she could see why others had, yes.

She settled herself comfortably in the hot springs, closing her eyes. It had started in this very place, ironically enough, while she was counting away the minutes, and he had slipped in, under cover of darkness, no less.

_"Well, aren't you a delectable hunny?"_

_"...I beg your pardon?" She was rather startled, and a bit miffed, though considering the fact that she was in Tethe'alla, some place that she didn't belong, she knew full well that she couldn't have her cover blown._

_Not seeming to notice that she was taken aback by his presence, Zelos slid all of the way into the water, directly opposite from her. "I hope you don't mind if I join you for a little while. It was lonely in the other bath, so I thought that I'd come to introduce myself."_

_She stared at him. "That was bold of you."_

_He smiled at her. "Well, as you haven't tossed me out yet, I'm assuming that I'm welcome."_

_She made a face of disgust. "Your presence is providing me with further aggravation than I have patience to deal with. You'd best leave now before I eviscerate you on the spot."_

_He seemed slightly hurt. "Now, now hunny, settle down. I'll leave if that's what you really want.. though I do know a few things about relieving stress..." When he moved, the moon glinted off of his exsphere, causing her to stare at it._

_"Wait a moment. You.. you're the Chosen?"_

_He tilted his head to the side. "Who else would I be?"_

_"Chosen or no Chosen, you are still unwelcome in this tub."_

_"Harsh." He laughed, though he was quick to pull himself out of the springs._

_Pronyma allowed herself to relax. Quite frankly, she wasn't used to being 'hit on', if that even was what had happened, perhaps when she was much younger, yes, though at her rank? The Desians were too frightened of her--or envious--to even think of such a thing as silly (or simple?) as romance.. she sighed. The one she wanted would never look at her anyway, with everything that she did for him; and he really was, still a child.._

_She nearly jumped when she felt his hands on her shoulders. Quite a few minutes had passed since he had first took his leave of her; she had felt certain that he was gone for good, and had her eyes closed._

_His hands were soft and yet strong at the same time, circling her shoulders in a massage. "...What part of 'you are unwelcome' didn't you understand?" She asked, dryly._

_"I'm sorry, hunny. I just found you a bit hard to resist. And you're tense.. I couldn't just leave without trying to make you feel better.. besides, haven't gotten your name yet."_

_She was getting angry now. "It's none of your business."_

_"If you insist, my mysterious hunny. At least let me finish giving you a massage; then we'd part ways, as if we were two strangers in the night..."_

_He was touching her. An inferior being was touching her. The thought made her want to vomit. _

_He was the Chosen, though. Unfortunately. She couldn't hurt him, couldn't do anything to him.. she wasn't even supposed to be here. "I should be going."_

_"After your massage." His hands were till on her shoulders, and he slipped back inside the bubbling water next to her. "I couldn't let you leave without that."_

_"Couldn't? As if you'll be able to stop me?" It was her turn to laugh, and her eyes glinted dangerously. "Get your hands off of me, Chosen. Before I do something to you that we'll both regret."_

_"...Ooh. Aren't we feisty." His eyes danced with amusement._

_She slapped him across the face._

_He kissed her._

_That took her completely off guard; yet perhaps it was because she was needy, underneath her cold, unforgiving exterior... inside her, it was as if a tiny spark had grown to a roaring flame.. and she was kissing him back._

_Then she pulled away. And slapped him again._

_Zelos caressed his jaw thoughtfully, licking his lips. "You're strong. I like that."_

_"I would hope you aren't as forward with all of the women you toy with." She replied sardonically. "I doubt that they would appreciate it much."_

_He shook his head. "I've never had to go that far before. Usually hunnies are begging for kisses, faint if it's even a blown one. But you and that Mizuho girl? I don't know what it is, man.."_

_She lifted an uninterested eyebrow. "Right. Now, if you'll excuse me.."_

_He waggled his finger. "Oh no. Don't think I'm letting you get away from me without that promised massage."_

_What made this all the more infuriating was just how much she needed it. She glared at him. _

_"I guarantee that you'll enjoy it."_

_"I don't want to enjoy myself."_

_He smiled quirkily. "Fine. I guarantee that you'll be a hundred-percent more relaxed, and will want to do this again sometime."_

_She made a face. "Full of yourself, aren't you, Chosen? I highly doubt that. Or if I'll even come around here again, if lecherous beings like yourself lurk here. I've learned my lesson."_

_"You're wrong."_

_Pronyma closed her hands into fists, and glared at him. She could not resist a challenge. "You're on, you pathetic imbecile."_

The one thing that she hated most was to be proven wrong.

That Chosen.. had managed to prove her wrong. She had.. teasingly threatened his life, knowing that she probably _could_ kill him, as her power far outshined his, yet it was those rules and regulations again.

That night was only a massage. The other times.. were just as relaxing, but not quite the same treatment.

It was.. their little secret. Even if he betrayed her in the end.. she smirked. He'd never be able to get her out of his mind, no matter how many 'hunnies' that he seduced.

On the whole she had.. entirely too many things on her mind.


End file.
